1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to unified messaging systems configured for receiving, storing, and supplying messages to a subscriber, independent of message format or the type of device used by the sender of the message or the subscriber accessing the messages.
2. Description of the Related Art
The evolution of the public switched telephone network has resulted in a variety of voice applications and services that can be provided to individual subscribers and business subscribers. Such services include voice messaging systems that enable landline or wireless subscribers to record, playback, and forward voice mail messages. However, the ability to provide enhanced services to subscribers of the public switched telephone network is directly affected by the limitations of the public switched telephone network. In particular, the public switched telephone network operates according to a protocol that is specifically designed for the transport of voice signals; hence any modifications necessary to provide enhanced services can only be done by switch vendors that have sufficient know-how of the existing public switched telephone network infrastructure.
Short Message Services (SMS) have been implemented in wireless telephone communications systems as a way to send a message to a subscriber""s wireless phone. SMS messages have become quite popular recently, due in part from wireless telephone service providers offering SMS as a free service in conjunction with wireless telephony services; hence, many wireless subscribers have developed a preference to communicating using SMS as opposed to more costly wireless voice services. A messaging server, also referred to as a Short Message Service Center (SMSC), is configured for receiving an SMS message from a messaging source according to Short Message Peer to Peer Protocol (SMPP). The messaging source may be, for example, a cellphone supplying a user-input message, or an e-mail interface resident within the wireless telephone communications system. The SMSC, in response to receiving the SMS message from the messaging source, transmits a short message to the cellular phone based on the destination telephone number specified within the notification message. However, this arrangement still provides only limited flexibility in enabling different sources to send an SMS message to a cellular phone. In addition, existing cellphones are limited by memory to storing up to ten SMS messages. Moreover, this arrangement limits the ability of an SMS subscriber having a cellphone to send messages to a destination that does not have an SMS-capable cellphone.
Unified communications systems are under development as a way of enhancing messaging services for users such as wireless telephone subscribers. A disadvantage of unified communications systems implemented as enhanced versions of the voice mail system, paging system, or e-mail interface resident within the wireless telephone communications system is that such implementation requires detailed knowledge of the proprietary protocols associated with the voice mail systems. Hence, such implementations are available only from switch vendors having knowledge of the proprietary protocols.
Use of a unified communications system implemented independent of the existing proprietary 135 voice mail systems enables service providers to use scalable and distributed systems using recognized communication protocols. Hence, the service providers may use such unified communications systems across multiple platforms, independent of protocol, for storage of various types of messages, for example voice messages, facsimile, and e-mail stored in a centralized messaging store.
Commonly-assigned, copending application Ser. No. 09/739,687, filed Dec. 20, 2000, entitled Unified Messaging System Configured for Management of Short Message Service Type Messages, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, discloses a unified communications system including an SMS module configured for receiving SMS messages according to SMPP protocol. The SMS module obtains source and destination information from the received SMS message, and accesses a subscriber profile directory for subscriber profile information based on at least one of the source and destination information. The SMS module generates a common format message that includes the SMS message, and selectively supplies the common format message to selected destinations based on the accessed subscriber profile information. The common format message may be stored in a prescribed message store, for example an IMAP directory, or output as an e-mail message to a prescribed destination. The SMS module also is configured for selectively supplying stored messages to a unified messaging subscriber as an SMS message based on the profile information on the unified messaging subscriber. Hence, the unified communications system enables SMS messaging users to send SMS messages to non SMS-type devices (e.g., telephones, e-mail clients, etc.) and retrieve stored common format messages (e.g., fax, e-mail, voice messages) using the SMS message system.
Hence, SMS to date has been considered only as a protocol for sending and receiving messages; consequently, efforts have been limited in exploiting the SMS technology as a true communications technology that complements voice communications technology within a unified communications paradigm.
There is a need for an arrangement that enables open standards-based unified messaging systems to utilize SMS messages as a command interface. In particular, there is a need for an arrangement that enables a unified messaging system to parse executable commands from a received SMS message, enabling unified messaging operations to be performed for an SMS messaging subscriber.
There also is a need for an arrangement that enables a user to perform unified messaging operations, including retrieval of messages, by sending SMS messages to a unified messaging system.
These and other needs are attained by the present invention, where a unified communications system includes an SMS command processor configured for executing prescribed messaging operations based on reception of an SMS message having respective prescribed commands. The SMS command processor is configured for receiving the SMS message based on the SMS message having a prescribed destination that corresponds to the address for the SMS command processor. The SMS message may be generated by the unified messaging subscriber requesting execution of a prescribed messaging operation, or from another agent configured for generating the SMS message based on a prescribed event. The SMS command processor parses the received SMS message for the prescribed command, and executes the prescribed command as necessary; for example, the prescribed command may be defined by the service provider, alternately the prescribed command may be user-defined according to a command table stored in a subscriberprofile directory. Hence, SMS messaging users can send SMS messages as a command interface for a unified messaging system, enabling storage and retrieval of unified messages.
One aspect of the present invention provides a method in a server configured for executing messaging operations. The method includes receiving a short message service (SMS) message, parsing the SMS message for a prescribed messaging command, and executing a prescribed messaging operation based on the prescribed messaging command. The parsing of the SMS message enables prescribed messaging operations to be executed, enabling a user to use SMS messages as a command interface for messaging operations (e.g., retrieve a stored message, delete a message, generate a new message having selected stock quotes, etc.). Hence, the SMS messaging technology serves as an access technology for unified messaging operations, providing greater flexibility for unified messaging subscribers.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a server configured for executing messaging operations. The server includes an interface configured for receiving a short message service (SMS) message according to a prescribed network protocol, and an SMS command processor. The SMS command processor is configured for parsing the SMS message and executing a prescribed messaging operation based on detecting a prescribed messaging command within the SMS message.
Additional advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the present invention may be realized and attained by means of instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.